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fever. If, however, in compliance with fyflem.thedldindtionia 

 to be made, we would rellriA the terra tabes to emaciations 

 proceeding either from glandular and vifceral obfl;rnd\ioii, or 

 from purulcncy andulceratio.i. If this be dons, the third fpe- 

 cies of tabes in Culkn's Nofo'ogy will rank under atr .•)iiy ; 

 of which we fliall then have lix fpecies placed in the f.iilow- 

 ing order; viz. Atrophia in mitorum ; A. famelicorum ; 

 A. dcbiUum ; A. cacochymica ; A. venenat i ; A. a com- 

 prelTwne dudtus thoracici. The caufcs wliich induce the 

 tirA-mentioned fpecies, are long-continued and profufe 

 evacuations; fuch as an immoderate flow of faliva, profufe 

 perfpirations, diabetes, fluor albus, fcminal emiiruns, abufe 

 of venery, continuing to liiclde too often or too loner in 

 the cafe of nurfes, ice. ice. ; chronic diarrhoea and rtjeclion 

 of the food loon after being fwallowed, are among other 

 caufes enumerated by prattioal writers : of thefe two, tlie 

 firll brings on that emaciation which is commonly known 

 under the name of marafmus ; the latter (viz. vomiting), 

 when it arifes from a fcirrhofity of one of the orillces of 

 the llomach, or other organic difeafe of that vifcus, we 

 would rather refer to the caufes wliich produce tabes. 

 When the vomiting depends upon mere irrit?,bility, without 

 injured organifation, it will then give rife to atrophy. The 

 moll frequent form under which the atrophia famelicorum 

 appears, is, that which is defcribed by medical writers under 

 the name of tabes dorfalis. It is occafioned by a lofs 

 and forced fecretion of the fcminal fluid, and happens to 

 thofe who are too much addifted to venery, to thofc who 

 inflame their imaginations with lafcivious ideas, and efpe- 

 cially to youths who indulge themftlves in the obfcene and 

 baneful praftice of onanifm. This difeafe was well known 

 to the ancients, and is defcribed in the culleftion of writ 

 ings attributed to Hippocrates. (ttsjI v»(rj.'», lib. ii.) With 

 the frequent emiffions of femen there is a pain in the back 

 and loins, coftivenefs, head-ach, giddinefs, and dimnefs of 

 fig'it ; opprefiiou of the breath, hurry of the ipirits, reillefs 

 nights, laffitude, palenefs of the countenance, walling ot the 

 flefh, pains of the joints, tremors, and in fome inftances palfy, 

 with a failing of the memory and dcjeclion of mind. 

 In fetting about the cure we muil tirll remove the exciting 

 caufes, by forbidding venereal intercourfe, and reftiaining 

 manual pollution (manullupratio.) The foft downy bed 

 mull be exchanged for a hard one, and early riUng enjoined. 

 The patient mull abilain from ftrong wines, efpecially white 

 wines, hot liquors, and feafoned food, and take to a plain, 

 mild, nutritious diet, of which milk and its preparations 

 fliould conftitute the chief part. Sag-), tapioca, animal 

 jellies, and eg^s, will alfo be proper. The common cold- 

 bath or fea-bathhiGf (hould be employed, with daily exercife 

 on horfe-back ; and befides the free ufe of cow's milk, afles 

 milk (hould be taken at leafl once a day. The proper me- 

 dicines will be the Peruvian bark, the hchcn iflandicus, the 

 infuiion of the red rofe, the infufion of catechu, and cha- 

 lybeates ; or if the laft-named metallic preparations prove 

 too ilimulant, the zincum vitriolatum. In fome of thefe 

 cafes, mild opiates, or the cicuta, may alfo be given with 

 advantage. Collivenefs Ihould be prevented by occafional 

 dofcs of the eledluarium fennx, or oleum ricini, or raagncfia 

 and rhubarb. (See Tiff'ot on Onanifm.) The fame means 

 will be equally fuited to mod of the other varieties of ^lio- 

 phia inanhorum. When it is occafioned by profufe perfpira- 

 tions, the fulphuric acid (hould be given with the other 

 tonics ; and when the urinary evacuation is cxceffive, the 

 fame remedies as in diabetes ; which fee. When this dif- 

 order occurs in nurfes giving too much fuck, the albnigcr.t 

 vegetable fubftances (the Peruvian . bark excepted) ai.d 

 metallic falts above mentioned will not be proper ; a more 



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liberal ufe of fermented liquor and animal food (hould be 

 allowed, and the infant (houM be weaned. When it pro- 

 ceeds from a diarrhoea, opiates may be given more freely, 

 join.d with teftaceous powders, and fniall dofes of ipeca- 

 cuanha. When it is occafioned by the food being rc- 

 jefted from the ftoxach (hortly after it u fwallowed, the 

 peculiar condition of that organ, on which the vomiting de- 

 pends, mull be afccrtained and remedied accordingly. In 

 fuch cafe, glyllers of milk and animal jtllies (hoiild be 

 adminiftered once or twice every day, until the difpofition 

 to inverted aftion is removed. 



A. famelicorum. This occurs in infants at the brcaft, not 

 being fupplicd with a fufiiciency of milk. It is known by 

 the daily emaciation of the infant, conftant cries, and 

 waketulnefs, its eagernefs to fuck, and its tranquiUitv and 

 difpofition to fleep after being put to the brca'.l. ft hap- 

 pens wiien the mother's or nurfe's milk is either deficient in 

 quantity, or poor and watery in its quality. It mav be re- 

 medied in part by putting the mcjther upon a generous diet, 

 and fupplying the infant with nourifiiment by the fpuon j 

 but the mod effeclual method is to refort to a nurfe ca- 

 pable of aiTording a healthier and more abundant dream of 

 milk. 



A. debilium. To this fpecies belong the nervous atrophy, 

 and the emaciation which accompanies old age. It depcndj 

 upon a debility of the organs of digedion and nutrition. 

 In the fird inilance, it is fometimes the confequence of clofe 

 application to bufinefs or dudy, and excclllve anxiety, grief, 

 a longing after one's native country or a beloved objcifl, 

 with other depreding palTiOBS. In thcfe cafes, a removal 

 from the fcene of ftudy or bufinefs, and from the fource of 

 anxiety, regular exercife and proper recreations, will form 

 the bafis of the cure. At the fame time, bitters, chaly- 

 beates, and opiates, fliould not be omitted. (Morton de Atro- 

 phia, feu Phthifi nervofa.) When the diforder is the confe- 

 quence of old age, much relief cannot be expefted. In that 

 cafe, httle more can be done than to render the diet as nu- 

 tritious as poflible. 



A. cacochymica. When the emaciation in this fpecies is 

 connefted with a fcorbutic acrimony, the remedies proper 

 for correcting tiie fame mud be employed ; fuch as fubacid 

 fruits, frefh malt liquor, &c. all falted meats being drictly 

 avoided. When it is connetled with a fyphihtic acrimony, 

 the cure ihould be attempted by mercurials, opiates, and the 

 guaiacum and farfaparilla decoctions, with the warm bath. 

 When it occcuis in a ricketty conditution, the fame treat- 

 ment as in rachitis will be proper. (See Rickets.) If 

 this fpecies (the A. cacochymica) is accompanied with fcor- 

 butic or fypliilitic fores, it (hould be refened to tabes. 



A. vennuita. This happens when the concoAivc powers 

 are impaired or dedroyed by vegetable or mineral poifons. 

 Among the vegetable poifons which prove the canfe of 

 atrophy, may be mentioned the abufe of green tea in wo- 

 men, and the chewing of tobacco in men. In like manner 

 the opium-eaters in the Levant and other parts of the call 

 are afiecled with atrophy. Another pcilon extracted froai 

 vegetable fuliUances undergoing fcrmentiitioii, which pro- 

 duces the fame tdect, is alcohol, or brandy, rum, S:c. Among 

 the mineral poifons which have been oblerved to caufe this 

 difeafe, may be mentioned lead ond arfcnic. The remedies 

 in this fpecies of atrophy m.ull be varied accordi.ig to the 

 kind of poilbn by which it was induced. (See Poisoss.) 

 In the Nofological Sydcia of Dr. CuUen, this '.pec -s of ema- 

 ciation is ranked under tabes ; but as i is not accompanied 

 eith.-r v.-ith glandular obdruCt-on, or with purulcncy or ulcer- 

 ation, we have conceived it lo belong to the prefenl genus, 

 and have accordingly introduced it here. 



